ZECHARIAH 8
In this chapter we see Jehovah “jealous for Zion with great jealousy”, and returning to her, that by His own presence and power she might really take on the character which belonged to [p. 118] her in His mind. Zion, as we know, represents sovereign mercy, and Jerusalem sets forth what is universal in its bearing, so that we find here the thought of God returning, after a long period of great departure by His people, to what He had in His own mind. Not that God had ever departed from His own thoughts, but His people had, and He returns in a special way of mercy to bring them back. This is what He is doing at the present time for His saints of the assembly. The result of God being with His people is that truth and holiness characterise them. “Thus saith Jehovah: I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem shall be called, The city of truth; and the mountain of Jehovah of hosts The holy mountain”, verse 3. This links on with what we were saying about the assembly in Philadelphia, to which the Lord presents Himself as “the holy, the true”. If God comes in in mercy to restore what has departed, the fruit of His work will be seen in love and truth and holiness. Apart from these things there is no evidence of God being with His people.
God is not working merely to set up certain abstract principles that may be professed as being of Himself. He is working that persons may be livingly characterised as having part in what He has wrought. “Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: There shall yet old men and old women sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one with his staff in his hand for multitude of days. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof”, verses 4, 5. It is a beautiful suggestion that there is room in God’s city for every manifestation of spiritual life. The old men and old women represent those who have had long experience of the faithfulness and mercy of God. Their presence in the assembly is to be most highly prized. Their time of active labour is over, but they are there as restful witnesses to what God has wrought. The “boys and girls” speak of that young life which knows how to be happy in the assembly. It is one feature of God’s present working that so many young people are coming forward to identify themselves publicly with the Lord’s name, and with His saints who seek to walk in the truth, and finding real pleasure in doing so. It is encouraging to know that He takes account of even “boys and girls” as having their place in His city; He loves to see them in the assembly, as enjoying their place there. The young are to be greatly valued because of the spiritual possibilities that are bound up with them. What will mark the generation to come is there potentially in the [p. 119] boys and girls of today. Let us give them all the spiritual help that we can, both by word and example. The intermediate ages are not mentioned in this particular passage, but the eldest and the youngest being spoken of would suggest that the city has its full complement of inhabitants. No element is wanting. Such is God’s thought of His assembly, and it is presented to cheer us even in a remnant time. Such things may be “wonderful” (verse 6) in the eyes of the remnant, but they are not wonderful in God’s eyes in the sense of being “hard” for Him to bring to pass. He will bring His people to His own thoughts, even though it be but a remnant.
The next section of this chapter is particularly encouraging, because it shows that even laying the foundation of God’s house made an immense difference. This is a cheer to us today if we have even made a beginning with some purpose of heart that God shall have a house where He will be served according to His mind. It changes our whole position in the sight of God, and secures His blessing. In the religious world around us God is served as men think, but how can that be God’s house where He is not allowed to have His own way? So it follows that there is no proper tillage of the inheritance. “For before those days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; and there was no peace for him that went out or that came in, because of the distress: for I let loose all men, every one against his neighbour”, verse 10. This makes clear, that if we do not think of God having His place and His portion we shall fare badly ourselves. Agricultural operations, in a spiritual sense, will cease; the fields will lie fallow; the vines will be neglected: there will be neither harvest nor vintage. But if there is even a beginning to lay the foundation of the house of God things change immediately. “But now I will not be unto the remnant of this people as in the former days, saith Jehovah of hosts; for the seed shall be prosperous, the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things”, verses 11, 12. While many Christians are complaining of the lack of spiritual food, those who seek that there shall be something for God are proving that He gives so much that they are not able to gather it all in.
The remnant, enriched by God’s blessing, becomes a blessing to others; verse 13. God has thought in our days to do good to His people (verse 15), and He will do so wherever suitable conditions are found. If we do what God loves, and are faithful in our relations with our neighbour, we shall prove that He will do us good. “Our neighbour”, is the believer with whom we come in contact; let us speak truth with him, verse 16. That does not mean merely that we are not to tell him what is untrue; it means that we are to speak truth with him. That is, we are to speak of the truth which we know and love. The truth becomes a wonderful bond between those who speak it to one another, and especially in a day of departure; see 2 John. The truth abides with us, and shall be with us to eternity; then let us speak it to one another. We are told of certain actings of God that “in the whole hill country of Judaea all these things were the subject of conversation”, Luke 1:65. All ministry of the word furnishes us with a good deal to talk about, to say nothing of the infinite wealth of the Scriptures. Occupation with holy things will preserve us from imagining evil against our neighbour, and if we do not imagine evil we shall not speak evil; verse 17.
Then the “fasts” become “cheerful gatherings” (verse 19); they become fellowship meetings, and the joy and gladness of the people of God become attractive to others. There is an evangelical touch about the closing verses of this chapter. “And many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem, and to supplicate Jehovah”, verse 22. “The inhabitants of many cities” leave their own cities to come to God’s city. “Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: In those days shall ten men take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you”, verse 23. It is the report of God being with His people, and securing their happiness, that will affect the nations in a coming day, and we may be sure that, in principle, this is true today. The best way to secure converts is for the people of God to be truly happy in their relations with Him and with one another. There is a great scarcity of happiness in the world, so that the happiness of God’s people is, in itself, a powerful gospel sermon.